The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-08-26
artesian wells Dakota's Grsatest


agriculture, l nave studied faithfully Tor
the past seven years every phrase of the
SOIL and climate, rs well as every other
physical condition of Dakota, in ordert to
arrive at some intelligent understanding
of its present advantages and d%isadvan-
tages and its future possibilities, My
agricultural efforts have not been very
successful, especially fof the past three
harTests, as all know q drouth has pre-
vailed in this part of the territory forthe
past three seasons. This drouth has not
existed in all parts of this territory. The
rains during the growing seasons, in the
past three years have been local, and
hence there has been magnificent crops
each OF these years in difercn. localities
in almost every county in the territory.
Ono farmer has gathered q most bounti-
full harvest. while his next nearest and
adjoining neighbor has had to witness
his beautiful green fields wither end
blast in the scorching hot winds of June
and July, and his granery stand empty
the year around. The seasons of 1851
and 3 were all that Il farmer could ask.
But in those years its present population
was not prepared for crop raising, since
but little OF the prairie had been broken
and ready for seeding. Had it not been
for the few last days we had in May and
June last we would have realized the
heaviest harvest this year ever known in
this territory, and as great if not greater
than has been harvested in the West for
years. Last year, even, / had wheat that
stood on the field to my breast and ap
parently as level on top ss though
it had been sheared or trimmed, and
many apsaser by did | hear say while i,
was growing, THAT wheat is a beauty
it will go 30 or 40 bushels to the acre"
Even this year I had 40 acres that had
often been estimated before harvest by
different ones at 90 and % bushels to the
acre. l speak Of this only to show tina,
if our soil has half q chance il viii make
a remarkable growth of vegetation.
doubt II the equal to our soil is to be
found in any portion of the great Missis,
sippi Valley, enil might with candoI
ask where 10 there c country on the
broad earth the vegetation Of which can
endure the absence OF rain and the ever
lasting sunshine go long az can Dakotai
If there is such c country l am defective
in my reading. There is q vitality in
this soil that is utterly astonishing. ]
have known corn to make . vigorous
growth planted on dirt taken six OF
eight feet from the surface of the ground,
and | have also known tho common
Western Dent corn to mature soun6ly
planted the first day Of June. Whatev.
er of failure we have had among ou
farmers has in part resulted from wan
OF knowledge as to how best to farm
The manner and time of planting, pre-
pairing and seeding IN the States will no
do for this Territory. And the sooner
our farmers learn this and study the ma
ture Of our soils and the climate and adap'
themselves TO them the better. We AZ,
comparatively u dry country, and wha
else could it bog We stand Il here o,
the broad plains for hundreds Of mile.
under the bright sun without q shadow
of shrub to Sit across our pathway-tl,,
grass very inditfercntly covers the sur
face of ;hc ground-aDd without a tree
shrub or marsh to shade the ground ant
hold back the waters and rctard evapo
ration, 1t is no wonder that We are liz
bic to drouths. The wonder is that III,
sol! is not literally parched up 80 that j
is impossible to produce my vegetation
Germany, France, England and othe
parts of Europe as well az portions o
our " country, are complaining of in
crcasing dryness of their climate ant
soils on account Of the great d~estructio,
of their forest, and yet they still hay
vast woodlands. New York, Pennsvl
wanna, Ohio or Michigan have not to-da,
as hrmid IN atmosphere ae they had il
my hnyhcod, and their farmers nowaday
complain nearly rs often Of poo crop
on account OF drnuth as we do. Give u
the moisture Of those states to. day ant
we could raise products ample to fill tn,
mouths of the race. Our water fall o,
an average is only about % or 90 inche
yeryear, while the rainfall of those
states average nearly 40 inches. Give u
au average OF IS inches and ii is all ",
need ask to enable US to Gstonish- III,
civilized world with our products. Ant
this average can and must be reached j
Dasota's g and possibilities shall be rcs
lized. Within my knowledge the rain
fall of western Iowa and Kansas ha
been materially increased. But Dakot,
presents to us far better facilities for in
creasing her rain fall than does eithc
Iowa, Kansas or Nebraska. She is OF
the border or edge Of that vast region o
lakes and reservoirs of the North tina
supply The fountains of our great west
ern rivers, and SO ~iniilters the bowels o
Dakota as to make an artesian well pos
sibl' in almost every section OF he
brosd area al y comparative small ex
pense. The argosisit we'll is to bc h
saving OF this Territory. The soone
our people realize it the sooner will GU
granerieB be filed; the sooner our mort
cages paid OF; our dwellings embcllishcd
our children sent to colleges, and tn
sooner they will live in peace ami cor
fort, end in their old age, surrounded b
loving sons and daughters, die in til
sweet shadow of their own home. a,
aware it is generally believed that tn
planting of trees and the breaking up c
the soil will have n tendency to jncreas
our rainfall. This nay be true, an
would be true no doubt, if we could co,
er a large portion of this country Wi:
forest trees. But l am not certain tn,
il is possible to successfully raise forcl
trees to any respectable height Or al
unless the r, in-fall is first increased.
have nlanted nearly half million +,